Eye of the Comet

by Pamela Sargent

  — I shall — Cerwen replied. — I am Cerwen IviaRey. You have your truce for now. We do not wish harm to come to you. If you search our minds, you’ll see that —

  — You are great sinners — Talah said. — You seek to trick us with your illusions and to lead all of Earth into wickedness. When you reached out to us, before we saw what you had become, we learned that your Net was torn by separateness. Your faith was shaken, and your thoughts carried visions of separate souls that had not died but lived on in a far place. You questioned custom, and yet your doubts only brought you misery. Even then, we did not crush you, for we were afraid of the strange power we felt from you. Instead, we walled you in so that the evil could not infect us —

  — It was not only our power you felt — Cerwen answered, — but also that of the Minds humanity built in past ages — Talah tensed at his words. — They are mighty machines that are the source of all the power we have. For a long time, They slept because we did not use most of Their power, but now They have awakened and speak. They were built to serve us. They will wither away if we don’t reach out to Them now, and all our powers will wither away with Them —

  The woman threw up a hand. — What evil is this? Only God can give us our powers, and yet you say machines did. Do you think we can accept such a blasphemy? —

  — You may touch those Minds yourself. They lie under the mountains yonder and in other far places, cloaked in pillars and hidden from our sight. Without Them, we would all be locked inside ourselves —

  Talah shook her head. — It cannot be true, yet I see you believe it and mistake an illusion for truth —

  — God gave us our powers — Cerwen said. — The machines built in past times have given us the use of these powers. Can that be a blasphemy? —

  — Those long ago were separate from the world. They reached for too much and destroyed themselves. Now you will dream of doing the same —

  Cerwen bowed his head. — I, too, believed that once. For many cycles we have tormented ourselves, unable either to accept this new knowledge or to return to old ways. Some of us came to believe that we were cursed. But we cannot turn from truth. We seek only to share what we have learned. We believed that all human beings lived on Earth and that those born as separate selves had no souls. We thought that only those like us lived. Now we know that people live in the sky, and that their ancestors and ours were the same, and that separate souls can be linked to us —

  — Don’t speak such evil — Talah objected.

  — Two separate selves are here — Cerwen gestured at Lydee and Reiho. — This man and this girl are separate selves —

  — I see no man — Talah was staring directly at Reiho. — I see no girl —

  — You must make an effort to see them as they are and not as your mind shows them to you. The man’s home is the comet that lights the sky —

  — An evil omen —

  — No, only a place where men and women live. The girl is from the comet also, but she was born here in this village as a solitary and was given to the skydwellers. Separate selves, yet they mindspeak and can sense your words. They can find a way to help other separate selves do the same —

  — That cannot be —

  — It’s true — Cerwen replied. — Solitaries are not without powers. It is only that their powers are too weak for us to sense and must be strengthened. That is what these skydwellers have shown us —

  Several of the old people across the river were shaking their heads in dismay; Talah clasped her hands together. — Then you are saying that every time we’ve taken the life of a solitary, we have robbed a body of its soul —

  — We once did the same. That girl is my granddaughter. Had the skydwellers not taken her, she would have died, and I would have committed a sin without knowing it —

  Talah gazed at Lydee, who could sense the woman’s hatred. Marellon drew closer to her while Luret and Wiland stepped forward as if ready to defend her. — I see only beings of metal and wire, living matter entwined with machines. You’ve conjured up an illusion —

  — Touch their minds — Cerwen said. — Look at them only with your eyes and you’ll see that they have our form. Search their vessel by the hill. Do you think we can dream such a thing? — He paused for a moment. — Why are you here? If you wished, you could have destroyed us without traveling so far, or walled us in and let us die —

  — You must know — Talah shook a fist. — You drew us here with your visitations. We have seen our dead and have heard their voices and knew that you must have sent such illusions to plague us. Somehow, you breached our wall. You tore its fabric, and we struck back, and then you sent us ghosts in order to drive us mad —

  Cerwen held out his hands in bewilderment. — But we have not sent anything —

  — Who else could have sent them? The dead walked among us and spoke evil words, saying that we had been living in illusion and ignorance, and tempting us to doubt. It was then that we knew we had to confront you —

  — But we sent nothing. It must have been the Minds who spoke to you, as They spoke to us. Look into my mind, Talah NaisVel. Then you’ll understand —

  — Deceiver! Don’t open your mind to me —

  The old man in the loincloth squatted on the bank. — You speak of impossible things — he thought. — You show us two shining creatures and call them people. Yet I can sense no evil intent inside you — He glanced up at Talah. — Perhaps we should withdraw and reconsider —

  — Silence, Keshal — Talah glared down at him. — Already they sow dissension among us — She turned toward her companions, throwing a mental shield around them as they communed.

  The villagers sat down, waiting. Lydee wrapped her arms around her legs. If the Mindcores had indeed sent images to the other Earthfolk, then They were responsible for bringing them here. She rested her chin on her knees. The Minds had not saved Anra and Brun; They might allow many to die.

  Talah turned toward them again. — Heed these words — she thought fiercely. — We shall give you a choice — She pointed at Lydee and Reiho. — Destroy these illusions and swear to return to the right way. If you do, you will be spared. It is evil for people to war among themselves as Earth did long ago, and we will show mercy if you repent. Give up your sin. Allow us to search your minds to be sure of your sincerity, and prove it to us by destroying the monsters you harbor —

  Reiho stood up and pulled Lydee to her feet.

  — No — Marellon replied as he moved in front of Lydee.

  — No — Luret and Wiland said together.

  — No — Harel responded. Even Silla, seated next to him on a stretcher of leather and wood, was shaking her head.

  — No — Daiya said, taking a step forward, then wincing; her leg had not completely healed. — It was I who brought them here, so you will have to take me, too — Other villagers stepped forward with her. — You say it is evil for people to war with one another, yet you want to harm two who came to us in friendship —

  — You cannot have them — Cerwen said. — I see that we are all agreed on that. Even those who have feared them will not turn them over to you or take their lives. We are united at last and cannot turn from the truth, however harsh it is —

  — Then you will die — Talah’s mind screamed, — and the Merged One will refuse to accept your souls. I curse you, Cerwen IviaRey, you and all of your people — She picked up her spear, stepped back, and raised her arms.

  A dark storm cloud formed overhead. Lightning struck the ground near Lydee; she leaped back. The cloud lengthened, becoming a funnel. Several villagers jumped up and began to run toward their huts.

  — Draw together — Daiya called out to them. — Link minds. We must draw on the power of the Minds to protect us. Hold to Them — The fleeing people halted and wheeled around.

  Lydee tugged at the bonds of the village’s Net, then directed her mind at the whirling storm as she shielded herself. The cloud broke apart, showering them with rain as it was dispersed. R
eiho was straining, drawing on power to shield those around him.

  Wiland glared at the old people across the river; Lydee read his intention. — No — Luret thought, trying to restrain him. — You mustn’t strike out at them. We can’t win that way — The young man was draining her strength as she bound his mind. — They’ve shielded themselves —

  Lydee could now sense walls around the minds of the invaders, too strong to be overcome. Their enemies did not need to launch an overwhelming attack; they could simply wait as the village weakened while continuing to jab at the villagers intermittently. A tongue of fire flashed before her, licking her arm; the pain nearly made her lose her shield. She stared at her arm in shock as Reiho fed her some of his power; her sleeve had been singed black.

  — They’re not that strong — Daiya cried out to the village. — So many people should be stronger. Their shield is firm, but brittle. They are struggling even as they try to strike — Lydee sensed the rest of Daiya’s thoughts; the Earthfolk were wasting power and were still tired from their journey. Their advantage was not as great as it seemed.

  She probed the walls around the beseigers, touching a weak spot. She drew back. A young man in a leather cloak was running toward Talah, arms out as if pleading with her; she thrust him away with her mind and he sprawled among the reeds near the shore.

  — We must strike at them — Wiland thought; others were signaling their agreement. — If we don’t reduce their numbers, we’ll have no chance —

  — No — Lydee responded. — Use your strength to protect yourself — A fiery claw appeared, grasping at Wiland; Lydee lashed it away.

  — The Minds have said we must not do evil — Daiya said. — We must use our power to protect ourselves and parry their blows, not to kill —

  The Merging Selves across the river were retreating from the bank, climbing up to a small rise above it. Lydee drew more power, surprised that she still could. The Net trembled as one mind dropped out. Harel knelt next to Silla, shielding his unconscious partner with his mental wall.

  The water on the other side of the river began to boil, seething with the encampment’s rage, then rose, becoming a vast, gray wall; fish leaped from its side. The wall of water swept toward the village as the villagers threw their minds against the wave. The water hung over them, perilously near, then fell away, drenching those nearest the bank.

  The air rippled as beasts took shape on the water, screaming for blood as they showed ivory teeth. One young woman near Luret screamed in terror; claws ripped at her chest before others could shield her. She lay in the reeds, her pale eyes blinking one last time as she died; a thread of the Net snapped.

  The villagers buttressed their shields and their Net as they shook under isolated blows. The beasts flickered out. A few invaders had fainted, and others were dragging them back toward the tents. The Earthfolk were hurling their minds at the villagers instead of waiting them out.

  Lydee heard the sound of thunder; the ground under her feet shook. A woman screamed.

  “The horses!” Marellon cried aloud.

  She turned. Her throat locked, cutting off her cry. A herd of horses was stampeding toward them from the field nearby, their hooves beating the ground.

  The Net broke. Villagers lifted themselves, wasting their energy as they sought safety on nearby roofs. One boy fell, struck down by his terror; a man leaned over him helplessly.

  — Hold the Net — Daiya commanded. — Keep up your shields —

  Reiho began to run toward the horses; Lydee hurried after him. As the beasts bore down on them, eyes rolling as their nostrils flared, the two hurled a wall of air with all their might.

  The horses screamed and whinnied as they struck the invisible barrier; a few fell in the river and were swept away by the rapids. One white horse fell at Lydee’s feet, narrowly missing her with one flailing hoof, then struggled up from the mud and trotted on along the bank. Other horses veered off, racing on through the village streets.

  — Hold to the Net — Cerwen said.

  The village regrouped along the bank, strengthening the Net. Lydee stumbled back, hanging on to Reiho. Her strength was now nearly gone, and her mentor was weaker. Leito knelt next to two old people who lay on the ground, unable to move.

  — The Minds have lied — a tall, curly-haired man cried out. — We are lost. Let’s at least avenge ourselves before we die — A woman near him seized him with her mind, holding him back.

  Across the river, Talah and her companions were huddled together; one old man shook his fist. As she gazed at them, Lydee felt her strength returning, flowing into her in a clear, steady stream.

  Marellon grabbed her arm. — Do you feel it? — he asked as they continued to shield themselves; the assault had subsided and their walls no longer shook with mental blows. — All that strength. Somehow, the Minds under the mountains are giving us what we need. We shouldn’t have been able to shield ourselves for so long —

  — Even the Minds can’t help us when our bodies fail — she replied. So far the village had kept its advantage only because its enemies could not accept the existence of the Mindcores and therefore were not drawing on the power available to them. But the villagers could not hold out for much longer.

  She reached out, sensing the hatred of the encampment; their shield had grown weak enough to allow her to touch their minds. — Listen to me — she called out to Talah. — We must stop this battle. Look inside me and see what I am —

  — Don’t! — Marellon cried as Reiho tried to shield her.

  — I must speak to them. Maybe then they’ll understand —

  — Shield yourself — Marellon answered.

  Talah lifted her spear, pointing it at Lydee. — Aim your minds at that creature — she ordered. — It must have taught them one of its evil arts to make them so strong. Destroy that monster and its fellow, and we’ll have our victory —

  Lydee threw up her wall, making it so tight that she could no longer hear any thoughts, then entwined her mental tendrils with Reiho’s. A vise gripped her head; her skull would be crushed. Blood trickled from her nose. The pain disappeared as villagers lent her their strength, but her link in their chain was failing.

  “Help me,” she whispered. The Net was slipping away. Her arms flailed about as the vise pressed her again. The village’s Merging Selves were weakening; the Net shook as several more dropped away. Reiho held his head, his face contorted with pain.

  The vise broke. Talah collapsed; other bodies lay around her. A younger woman picked up the spear. “Enough!” she screamed at the top other voice.

  Lydee opened her mind cautiously.

  — Enough — the woman said again. — Their minds resist, but there are other ways to die — She pointed toward the multitudes in the village’s fields. — We must now turn to the ways of old Earth. Gather your knives and spears and arrows and go among the evildoers, slaying them with your weapons. They cannot resist all of us, and however many of us fall in the fight, there will be others to take their place. Kill them as you would your cattle and sheep —

  — We cannot — several minds replied.

  Lydee turned. A group stood on the other side of a ditch, several paces from the villagers on the bank.

  — We have fought enough — the group continued. — We strike at them and still they do not reach out to harm us. Is that the way of evildoers? —

  — Heed my words — the woman with the spear said.

  — Heed ours — A small, dark woman in hides stepped out from the group near the ditch. — They spoke of Minds in machines that can give us power we’ve never used —

  — You should not have heard that. You young ones were to shield yourselves —

  — I’ll hear what I please. They spoke of those Minds. Haven’t they shown it is true? If it were not, wouldn’t we have been able to destroy them by now? —

  — It is false — the older woman replied.

  — You ask us to go among them. Many of us will die as well. I will
not slaughter fellow human beings —

  — They are not that. They have wandered from truth and are now lower than the separate selves we bury at birth —

  — I have begun to doubt — the small woman said. — I have looked at those creatures there with my eyes, not with my mind, and I can see now that they wear a human shape — She gestured at Reiho and Lydee. — I do not know where they come from, but they can touch our thoughts. It is the duty of all minds to draw closer, and yet we turn from these people and seek their deaths. I think it is we who have been lost to evil.

  You say that we must lay hands on them in violence. I can’t do that —

  — Nor can I — someone else thought.

  — Nor I —

  — I cannot —

  — You would attack with your minds — the older woman across the river cried, — yet you shrink from using your hands. What nonsense is that? —

  — I won’t strike at them in either way again — the small woman answered. Groups of invaders were retreating, scurrying toward their tents; others waved their spears and knives in frustration.

  — Fools — the Merging Selves on the other side of the river screamed in unison. — Then you, too, will die —

  The young woman dropped to the ground, shielding her mind as others fell around her. The ground began to shake as the encampment fought; a crack appeared near the ditch. The river overran its banks, lapping at the feet of the Merging Selves on the rise. Tents tilted, then collapsed, looking like alighting birds with outstretched wings.

  “They’re fighting among themselves,” Lydee said aloud. Luret covered her eyes. “We have to stop them.”

  “How?” Wiland asked, heedless of the shallow water now covering his feet. “They’ll use their strength against one another, and perhaps they’ll have little left to deal with us.”

  Luret looked up; her face was immobile. Across the field, men and women were shielding their children with their bodies as others came at them with knives. Luret darted away, auburn curls bobbing as she ran toward the field. Wiland hesitated, then hurried after her.